The present invention relates generally to support assemblies, and, more particularly, to a rocker-type support assembly for supporting an actuation switch actuatable responsive to application an actuation force upon a face surface thereof.
A communication system is operative to transmit information between two or more locations, and includes, at a minimum, a transmitter and a receiver interconnected by a communication channel. A radio communication system is a communication system in which the communication channel comprises a radio frequency channel wherein a radio frequency channel is defined by a range of frequencies of the communication spectrum.
The transmitter which forms a portion of the radio communication system includes circuitry for converting the information into a form suitable for transmission thereof upon a radio frequency channel. Such circuitry includes modulation circuitry which performs a process referred to as modulation. In such a process, the information which is to be transmitted is impressed upon a radio frequency electromagnetic wave, commonly referred to as a carrier signal. The resultant signal, formed of a combination of the carrier signal and the information, is commonly referred to as a modulated signal. Such resultant signal is also referred to as a communication signal as the modulated signal includes the information which is to be communicated between the transmitter and the receiver.
Various modulation schemes are known for impressing the information upon the carrier signal to form thereby the communication signal. For instance, amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, and combinations thereof are all modulation schemes by which information may be impressed upon a carrier wave to form the communication signal.
Radio communication systems are advantageous in that no physical interconnection is required between the transmitter and the receiver; once the information signal is modulated to form a modulated signal, the modulated signal may be transmitted over large distances.
Additionally, numerous modulated signals may be simultaneously transmitted at different frequencies of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum. Transmission of communication signals on frequency channels defined upon certain frequency bands of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum is regulated by regulatory bodies.
A two-way, radio communication system is a radio communication system, similar to the radio communication system above-described, but which further permits both transmission of information to a location, and transmission of information from that location. Each location of such two-way radio communication system contains both a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter and the receiver positioned at a single location typically comprise a unit referred to as a radio transceiver, or, more simply, a transceiver.
A cellular communication system is one type of two-way radio communication system in which communication is permitted with a radio transceiver positioned at any location within a geographic area encompassed by the cellular communication system.
A cellular communication system is created by positioning a plurality of fixed-site radio transceivers, referred to as base stations, at spaced-apart locations throughout the geographic area. The base stations are connected to a conventional, wireline, telephonic network. Each base station has associated therewith a portion of the geographic area located proximate to each of such base stations. Such portions are referred to as cells. The plurality of cells, each defined by corresponding ones of the base stations of the plurality of base stations together define the coverage area of the cellular communication system.
A radio transceiver, referred to in a cellular communication system as a radiotelephone, positioned at any location within the coverage area of the cellular communication system is able to communicate with a user of the conventional, wireline, telephonic network by way of a base station. Modulated signals are transmitted between the radiotelephone and the base station to effectuate communication therebetween.
Typically, the radiotelephone includes a handset assembly operative in a manner analogous to the operation of a handset assembly of conventional telephonic apparatus.
In some radiotelephone constructions, only portions of the circuitry of the radiotelephones are disposed within the handset assembly. In such constructions, the handset assembly is coupled to transceiver circuitry housed within other structure. In other radiotelephone constructions, the entire circuitry of the radiotelephones are housed within the handset assembly.
In either type of radiotelephone construction, however, the handset assembly includes structure to facilitate operation of the radiotelephone. As such structure permits (or requires) the interaction of a user, such structure is typically referred to as a user interface.
For instance, the handset assembly of either type of radiotelephone includes a user interface which permits the user to effectuate telephonic communication by way of the radiotelephone with a remote site. Such user interface typically comprises a telephonic keypad to permit the user to enter a desired call sequence (i.e., a telephone number) thereby to effectuate telephonic communication with a location associated with such call sequence.
A user interface which is sometimes also disposed upon the handset assembly is a volume control element. Such volume control permits alteration of the amount of amplification of a signal generated at the earpiece speaker of the handset. Alteration of such amplification level of the signal applied to the earpiece speaker of the handset assembly is, of course, determinative of the magnitude of the aural signal generated by the earpiece speaker.
In many instances, the user of the radiotelephone operates the radiotelephone (and the user interfaces of such radiotelephone) while also simultaneously operating an automotive vehicle. According, any user interface on the radiotelephone must be easily accessible and easily operated by the user.
In some conventional designs of radiotelephones, the user interface utilized for volume control includes a poppel-type actuation switch. A poppel-type actuation switch is a momentary action switch, and is actuatable responsive to application of an actuation force upon a face surface thereof.
The poppel-type switch includes a conductive, semispherical membrane which is deformed responsive to the application of the actuation force to the face surface of the actuation switch. Deformation of the membrane causes the membrane to contact with switch contacts, thereby to close the switch for so long as the actuation force is continued to be applied thereto.
To operate properly, a poppel-type actuation switch must be suitably mounted or otherwise supported such that application of the actuation force to the face surface thereof actuates the switch. If the switch is not properly supported or mounted, the entire switch is susceptible to translation responsive to actuation of the actuation switch instead of the desired deformation of the conductive membrane.
Accordingly, radiotelephone constructions having a user interface formed of a poppel-type actuation switch must include support structure to prevent translation of the switch upon application of the actuation force thereto. At the same time, such structure must permit easy access by the user to the switch to permit the user to actuate the switch.
Inherent in user interfaces permitting of volume control, is the ability to vary the magnitude of the aural signal both to increase and to decrease such magnitude. Use of a poppel-type actuation switch for purposes of volume control, therefore, necessitates the use of two poppel-type actuation switches. A first of the actuation switches is operative to increase the volume of a device, and a second of the actuation switches is operative to decrease the volume of the device. Each of such actuation switches must, of course, be properly supported or otherwise mounted to permit proper operation of such switches.
As radiotelephones are typically produced in commercial quantities, the radiotelephones are usually assembled in an assembly line-like process. Components of such radiotelephones must be of designs facilitating their assembly in such a process.
To date, poppel-type switches utilized to form a user interface on a radiotelephone handset have only been assembled during assembly of the radiotelephone with some difficulty as such switches must be carefully mounted to ensure their proper operation.
What is needed, therefore, is apparatus for supporting a poppel-type actuation switch such that an actuation force, when applied to the face surfaces of the actuation switch causes actuation of such switch.
What is further needed is apparatus for supporting a poppel-type actuation switch when used as a user interface of electronic circuitry, such as a radiotelephone.
What is yet further needed is apparatus for supporting poppel-type actuation switches utilized as a volume-control, user interface of a radiotelephone which may be easily and quickly assembled during assembly of the radiotelephone.